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TRANSCRIPT
The State of Employment Relations
in Britain
John Forth
National Institute
of Economic and
Social Research
Reframing Resolution Conference
University of Westminster
6th September 2013
Outline
• Official indicators (public events)
• Indicators from within the workplace
• Disputes and the climate of ER
• Employees’ evaluations of managerial behaviour
• The impact of recession
• Mechanisms for dispute resolution
• Individual grievance procedures
• Disciplinary procedures
• Provisions for third-party mediation
Official indicators
150,000
200,000
250,000
Em
plo
ym
en
t T
rib
un
al
cases
4,000
5,000
6,000
Wo
rkin
g d
ays l
ost
to s
top
pag
es (
1'0
00s)
Employment Tribunal cases Working days lost (1'000s)
0
50,000
100,000
150,000
1989
/90
1990
/91
1991
/92
1992
/93
1993
/94
1994
/95
1995
/96
1996
/97
1997
/98
1998
/99
1999
/200
020
00/0
120
01/0
220
02/0
320
03/0
420
04/0
520
05/0
620
06/0
720
07/0
820
08/0
920
09/1
020
10/1
1 20
11/1
2
Em
plo
ym
en
t T
rib
un
al
cases
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
Wo
rkin
g d
ays l
ost
to s
top
pag
es (
1'0
00s)
Sources: ONS and Employment Tribunal Service
Workplace disputes
Source: WERS
Causes of individual disputes
Source: WERS
Fear factor?
Source: WERS
Climate of employment relations
Sources: WERS & British Social Attitudes
Evaluations of managerial behaviour
Source: British Social Attitudes
Evaluations of managerial behaviour
Source: WERS
Impact of recession
• Spike in industrial action in the public sector (austerity)
• Rise in ET claims for unfair dismissal, breach of contract
and redundancy
• Grievances and disciplinary sanctions more prevalent in
workplaces most affected by recession
Mechanisms for dispute resolution
• On-site employee representation
– Union reps
– Non-union reps
• Dispute resolution procedures
– Grievance and disciplinary procedures
– Adherence to Acas Code of Practice
Prevalence of representation
Source: WERS
Dispute resolution procedures
Source: WERS
Dispute resolution procedures
Three steps laid out in Acas Code of Practice:
• Set out the issue of concern in writing
• Hold a meeting to discuss the matter• Hold a meeting to discuss the matter
• Provide employees with an opportunity to appeal against
the decision
Dispute resolution procedures
Discipline or Dismissal Individual Grievance
2004 2011 2004 2011
All three, all of the time 69 81 37 46
All three, but not all of the time 15 11 28 36
One or two, all or some of the time 15 5 32 16
None of the principles 2 2 3 2
Source: WERS
Dispute resolution procedures
Source: WERS
Dispute resolution procedures
Source: WERS
Summary
• Continual rise in ET claims, but no marked deterioration in the state of employment relations
• Improvements restricted to the private sector however
• And the level of disaffection or mistrust still seems high
• No shrinkage of workplace employee representation, but • No shrinkage of workplace employee representation, but coverage highly variable
• Workplace dispute resolution procedures becoming more widespread and more systematic
• The majority now include provisions for third-party mediation, although this varies by sector
• Challenge is to increase the evidence base on the effectiveness of different approaches
The State of Employment Relations
in Britain
John Forth
National Institute
of Economic and
Social Research
Reframing Resolution Conference
University of Westminster
6th September 2013